4
The News Argus
April 23, 2007
OPMON/EDrrORIAL
What should we
really leam from
the Imus incident?
Sharrod Patterson
PHOTO EDITOR
On April 4, Don Imus, a famous
radio shock jock, pulled a "Michael
Richards" when he referred to the
Rutgers Women's Basketball Team
as "nappy-headed ho's" during his
nationally syndicated radio show.
As expected, the usual suspects
found it an opportune time to step
back into the national spotlight and
act as a liaison for the black com
munity. On Friday, April 6, Imus
made a most unimpressive apology
to the Rutgers women. Reverend
A1 Sharpton and other notable
black leaders were also unim
pressed with his apology and stat
ed that they would picket outside
of his home station, WFAN-AM in
New York City, until Imus was
fired and pulled from national syn
dication.
This, in my opinion, is a remark
able way to get a point across to the
right people. If derogatory words
and gestures bother our black com
munity so much, then why we are
not picketing the BET headquarters
in Washington, D.C.?
Since the 1990s, Black Enter
tainment Television as well as
Music Television (MTV) has con
tributed to the stereotype that black
women are "nappy-headed ho's."
Both BET and MTV are owned
by Mega Media conglomerate
Viacom. Viacom is often just
referred to as the CBS
Corporation—the same CBS that
broadcasts Don Imus' nationally
syndicated radio show. Does the
fact that Imus' show does not make
money for or from the black com-
WHAT SETS YOU
APART IS WHAT MAKES
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Photo by MCTCampus
Members of the Rutgers women’s basketball team came together
to respond to the insults Don Imus made toward them.
Ji
f'
munity the reason he is being
attacked so readily? The simple fact
is BET is the only "soapbox" that
can reach black Americans young
and old.
This is not an attack on BET,
MTV, or even Don Imus. This is an
observation. The only other media
mostly dominated by blacks was
UPN, which was also owned by
Viacom and recently made the
switch to the CW; therefore, the
once-positive black television
shows of which we have grown so
fond are ironically ia great danger
of being cancelled.
We as black people cannot be
totally upset when our women are
demoralized and emotionally
"spat" upon when the world will
only see Nelly tossing up money
and pouring Crystyle down the
bosom of a scantily dressed young
black woman.
Imus' remarks hurt so badly
because they were directed toward
the cream of the crop in the black
community. Maybe this is the
adversity, or better yet the motiva
tion, the black community needs to
take a stand and make a change.
Don't get me wrong, Imus did
not deserve a two-week suspension
from CBS Radio and MSNBC;
instead, he deserved to be removed
from his syndicated radio show,
which goes out over more than 70
stations. Everyone should be held
to the same criteria, even if the
infringement is not completely ver
bal.
Maybe next week the president
of BET will say a racial epithet or
make some racial remarks and A1
Sharpton will picket outside of
their headquarters. Maybe then we
will finally have no choice but to
take responsibility on how we are
portrayed in the media. Maybe our
women will get the respect they so
rightfully deserve.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Don Imus'
morning show, "Imus in the
Morning," has since been removed
from syndicated radio. MSNBC let
the talk show host go on
Wednesday, April 11, and CBS fol
lowed by releasing him the next
day.
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